Pher walked aside Argyle, thinking. A bad habit, perhaps, but maybe someone ought to give it a try? As far as she could read from Troy, he seemed to accept that he had gotten into trouble legitimately. She’d have to ask, eventually, but it didn’t seem the time with Argyle listening. Oh, she didn’t doubt that Troy could get into trouble, or Shane, or Byblos, or anyone else on the crew up to and including Joe. That was the crew’s specialty, getting into trouble. But if this Argyle was so good at getting them out of trouble, had he helped get them into trouble in the first place? Part of this charade was an attempt to create a debt and some trust. The whole thing was proceeding nicely to that end. Pher just wasn’t sure how much of the charade was a charade. She also wasn’t sure how much it mattered. If he was good enough to set up the double level charade, he was perhaps worthy of working with anyway. He might not be worthy of trust, and perhaps the apparent debt wasn’t real, but whatever was coming down this Argyle had obviously played games and survived at Gular’s level. He knew what he was doing, and was playing on his home turf. Which the Qob crew didn’t, and rather obviously didn’t. So far, he seemed to be taking the Qob crew seriously. Pher wasn’t quite sure if he was more obtuse than he seemed, or whether her own perceptions of the crew were overly pessimistic. Likely some of both. Point one. If he was with Gular first and primary, the mission was over. His eyes were that good, and his attention was on them. Point two. They needed inside contacts. Samus had a few people on the inside, but nothing at all like the full organization Argyle was showing them. Point three, they weren’t going to be able to work with another inside group. Argyle was going to be looking for a cut. If he didn’t get it, if the only way to get a piece of the action was to play informant to Gular, he was apt to play informant with Gular. Besides, even given there were other groups like Argyle’s, each one they contacted would increase the risk. Point four, if he was as smart as he was going out of his way to show he was, he already likely knew precisely what was going down, and he wanted in. The Qob group wasn’t likely to be the only one fishing around for what they were after, just the group that Argyle was able to catch at it going in. This all led to the conclusion that Pher was going to have to deal him in. The question was how far in. Pher was accustomed to playing for high stakes, risking the lives and freedom of her friends to win the lives and freedom of her friends. She was almost inclined to introduce Argyle to Samus, accept a small agent’s commission, and deal the Qob out entirely. Argyle apparently had a better organization and was better placed to get the job done. Thing is, Joe tended to play for lower stakes, for latinum. He’d want to keep the lion’s share of the cut, which meant his people had to do the lion’s share of the work, take the lion’s share of the risks. Males. So, how to play it? How to get Argyle involved, but not too involved? How does one use him to cut the risk without too much cutting into the profit? And how to delay that call a bit? Argyle had to have a reputation, and Samus would know something of it. She was going to have to play the game blind, but would prefer not all the way blind. She’d also like to touch bases with Joe on the percentages. And just how deep in had Shane and Byblos got themselves?

OK. Joe. You want me playing Tacboss? I’ll give it a shot. I’ll note that most every idea I’ve thrown up has been shot down by either you or Ethan. Your reasons are good. Objections valid. Cause I’m boss, I’m not going to put them back in. Still, if Ethan goes into indignant objector mode, or you go into back seat driver mode, I not going to play at being Tacboss when I’m not. If you two are going to fight me, I’m throwing the hot potato right back at you, Joe. This isn’t my style. I’d like better planning. I don’t at all like being declared Tacboss with no notice moments before contact. This is mad lib. We’re landing and making it up as we go along. I don’t think there’s anyone on this crew that likes working that way was less than me. If Joe really wants me trying to impose order and restraint on a mission that might genuinely call for independence and flexibility, I’ll try, but I’m dubious. Everybody. Think for a minute or two. How would you use this opportunity and your particular talents to pick up a little information at minimum risk? Note, this isn’t endgame. This is the preliminary round. We’ll never get to end game if we start taking big risks and blowing cover this early. Lay out roughly where you’d like to go, what you’d like to do, what you’d like to learn, and who you’d like with you in support. Everybody is going to want to fine tune everybody else’s proposals. I’d like everyone to take such criticism and tuning in good grace. I might even be able to force myself to listen to Ethan. After everyone gets a chance to make proposals, we’ll put the best options in action. Me? I’d like to wrangle an invitation to that party. Thing is, Evenstar Bay is Gular, and for a short while a few years back I was the face of Evenstar Bay. I was a celebrity of sorts. There’s a significant chance I’ll be recognized if I mingle with the big shots. In fact, I’m half counting on it. My best chance of getting an invite is latching onto somebody I know. Thing is, if my real name comes up while I’m running on Samus’s bogus ID, things are apt to fall apart. If I go into that party It will need to be on my true ID. Good arguments have been made that this should not happen early on. I’ll accept these arguments if anyone else thinks they can get in. I’ll add that if you do want me crashing the party, wrangling an invite on the fly is not a sure thing, and it will require time. If Ethan and Joe continue to object for any length of time, it’s a no go. On the other hand, if we decide to try it, I’ll be flying solo or maybe with Byblos as a wingman. I won’t want to contact the rest of you. The risks will be too high. You’ll need a new Tacboss. That’s was how I’d approach it if there were no other options. It’s already been shot down. I need more options. Anyone else care to say what they’d like to do? I need ideas. Give me some small fairly safe first steps.

All of us have various skills, which might lead to very different plans. I’d like to hear suggestions from everyone, think through the best of them, but only go to execute if a plan looks solid. I’ll start with my own approach. Gular has fingers in a whole bunch of operations. One project, located on New Risa, is developing next generation high tech sex slaves. Some of these girls have cyborg enhancements, some are genetically modified, and some are both. It just so happens that I could pass quite well, thank you, as the product of said Gular project, with that cover able to withstand any degree of scrutiny. Without benefit of any other sort of cover, I could walk into Gular’s front door, say I have a biological problem and need to talk to someone highly trusted to keep corporate secrets, and with a medical background. I could then spin a tale about an unusual alien race infiltrating the Rainmakers. I could get quite elaborate about this. I could make a convincing argument that Gular is one of the few best organizations capable of countering the threat. I might offer a sample of the aliens, and might fish a bit to get paid for it. I might try to get direct contact with the highest levels of their organization. I might also wear a flower in my hair, which is a sign on New Risa of a girl on the clock. If they wish to evaluate a product of their New Risan endeavor, I’d give them the chance. Many alpha males like to talk about themselves. I might pick up something. I would not want to push this too obviously, though. I might want to bring Byblos with me, as some cross of bodyguard and pimp. There might be a real need for escort between parts of the station. If I’m dressing to pass as a New Risan lifeguard, having someone big, strong and possessive lurking nearby might be wise. While he couldn’t take on the whole of Gular security and wouldn’t be expected to, he might deter advances unless proper gifts are offered and enforce a few New Risan traditions. What I’d expect is that he gets excluded from a lot of meetings, and ends up hanging out with Gular security. He might just keep his eyes open and conversation flowing, getting the lay of the land without intent to do anything forward, at least initially. This would be an initial penetration, likely best made under our own identities. If Troy comes up with some cute devices for us to deploy, maybe. If information we gather helps someone else’s more direct approach, fine. It does potentially draw some attention to the Qob. It’s not a free lunch, a certain answer to all. It still seems the best I can initially offer using my own approach to things. I might argue that establishing the cover might be done for its own sake, and might be more important than any follow up. Comments and alternatives welcome.